High speed tenter chain device



Aug. 28, 1962 J. MCCREARY HIGH SPEED TENTER CHAIN DEVICE Filed March 14. 1960 M ab/zn )f l iy Jaw, WMJZM United States Patent 3,050,816 HIGH SPEED TENTER C DEVICE John McCreary, N. Mohawk St, Cohoes, NX. Filed Mar. 14, 196i), Ser. No. 14,919 Claims. (Ci. 26-61) This invention has to do with tenters, that is, tentering and finishing machines for the stretching, drying and setting of fabrics to a predetermined width as the fabric is automatically and continuously run through the machine, having particular reference to an improved. high speed tenter chain device therefor that is of novel construction and which produces new and advantageous results that are not obtainable by conventional chain devices for such machines, and the provision of such a device is the principal object of the invention.

Specifically, it is also an object of the invention to provide such a chain device that is particularly adaptable for use in such highly improved tenter machines as that disclosed in the Peck Patent No. 2,773,312 which utilizes super-heated steam as a rapid drying medium in which high speed is a factor.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide such a tenter chain device comprising link connecting chain pins each having first and second roller supporting spindle portions, first and second rollers mounted on such respective portions of each of said pins, a tenter member having fabric hooks, pins or clips carried by the chain pins, and housing means including a bed or tracks for the rollers of the chain.

Further specific objects of the invention comprise a new tenter clip and chain that will permit a speed within an approximate range of 70-100 y.p.m. (yards per minute) under seal in a super-heated steam cabinet; to provide a new type bed or track to accommodate the new chain and which will have a minimum thickness and width; and means to seal off the pin plates and chain from the fabric.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be-had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a fragmentary portion, with parts broken away, of an embodiment of such an improved type of chain device illustrating a section of fabric carried thereby;-

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional View taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a fragmentary section of the improved chain device illustrating opposed sections thereof on opposite sides of a tenter machine holding a section of fabric therebetween; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional detail of a portion of a beaded sealing element that preferably is plastic coated.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown generally at such a chain device. This comprises chain units. Each chain unit is composed of two connecting vertically disposed chain pins 10, each having first and second roller supporting portions and a first and second roller 11 and 12, respectively, on the respective portions of each of the connecting pins. Upper roller 11 and lower roller 12 might be regarded as forming a pair and preferably are spherical or have curved or tapered surfaces, the same being mounted to rotate on the spindle portions of the pins 10'. The chain links are shown in the figures and designated 13, 14 and 15. These are maintained in position by locking springs designated by the numeral 16.

A tenter member or plate 17 is carried by the pins 10' and is normally connected thereto at one end between the links 14 and rollers 11 and 12. The tenter member is also provided with a pin plate 18 having pins or tenter hooks 19, and the pin plate is removably secured to the tenter plate by any suitable means such as the flat head screws 20.

The entire device includes a housing comprising a pair of spaced-apart upper and lower channels 21 and 22, respectively, that include as the bed the track portions 21' and 22 which are curved in accordance with the particular configuration of the upper and lower rollers 11 and 12.

These channels are held in spaced-apart relation by spacer channels 23 and 24 to such an extent that the tenter plate is permitted to extend therethrough and move therebetween when the chain is in motion.

The housing includes sealing means in the form of upper and lower angular spring plates 25 and 26, respectively, which are held in position by overlying holding members 27 and 28 by means of screws 29 and 30 secured to the upper and lower channels 21 and 22. The free ends of the sealing members terminate in beads 25' and 26' that preferably are coated with a suitable heat resisting plastic 31, such as, for example, Teflon. The fabric shown at 32 is passed between the sealing beads and over the tenter hooks 19 to be held thereby as it is run through the machine at high speed and stretched, dried and set by the action of the super-heated steam within the steam cabinet (not shown herein) in which the deviceabove described is located.

It will be understood that the housing or bed in which the chain is located is disposed on opposite sides of the machine and in parallel relation extending longitudinally thereof. It will also be understood that a single endless chain runs through each housing or bed on the tracks in a rectilinear traverse in such a manner that the tenter hooks carry the fabric stretched between them when they appear in opposed relation inwardly of the machine as more fully illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawing. For a conventional type tenter see my Patent No. 2,729,874; and the improved type disclosed in the above mentioned Peck patent. Because of the nature of the housing and the similarity of parts constituting the rectilinear traverse, similar reference numerals have been applied thereto, especially as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing. However, there is this exception, namely, in place of the sealing means 25 and 26, a closed member or housing piece 33 is used because the fabric has become disconnected from the tenter hooks as the latter make their return run through the rectilinear traverse. The piece 33 is held in position by the screws 34.

The chain device just described has many advantages particularly where high speed is required especially when the same is used in the connections heretofore mentioned. For example, the use of a double roller with the pin plate therebetween distributes the force regardless of what the tension of the fabric may be. Therefore, there will be no tendency to twist, the pull is evenly distributed and the tailpiece such as that found in conventional machines becomes unnecessary. Thus, the width of the tenter bed can he shortened and the use of the sealing device, as described, can readily be utilized in which the fabric passes therebetween yet shuts out the steam from reaching the rollers and breaking down the lubrication. The sealing members are so designed that when a seam or a thickness in the fabric is presented therebetween, they will spread apart due to their spring action, the same preferably being made of stainless steel. Thus, both the chain and the bed are sealed off from the super-heated steam on both sides and a more rigid type of bed is permitted by utilizing a box type of housirrg. Such a chain becomes substantially frictionless, the pull being from the center midway from the rollers, which tends to eliminate wear and tear and therefore is suitable for high-speed operation. Also, smaller and lighter parts may be thereby manufactured and twisting and binding is eliminated. The rollers being completely encased not only prevents the steam from breaking down the lubrication but also prevents the lubrication from reaching the fabric. When the rollers and tracks are configured as above described, the bottom of the chain is raised from the lower channel 22 so that drag and unnecessary friction is eliminated.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the'invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a tenter, the improvement of a chain device comprising link connecting chain pins each having first and second roller supporting spindle portions, first and second rollers mounted on said respective portions of each of said pins, a tenter member carried by said pins and being normally connected thereto at one end between said portions and rollers and being provided at its free end with fabric holding pins, and housing means including a bed [for said chain device and a pair of angular spring plates resiliently mounted on said housing around said tenter and rollers and being provided at its free end with fabric holding pins, and housing means including a bed for said chain device and sealing members having opposed portions terminating in beads surrounding said tenter memrollers mounted on said respective portions of each of said I pins, a tenter member carried by said pins and being normally connected thereto at one end between said portions and rollers and being provided at its free end with fabric holding pins, housing means including a wall with upper and lower track portions in which said rollers move when said chain pins are vertically disposed, each of said rollers being capable of spinning freely when out of its respective track portion, and a pair of angular spring plates supported by said housing means around said tenter member, said spring plates having opposed portions adjacent said fabric holding pins.

5. In a tenter as set forth in claim 4, in which the tenter member is perpendicular to said chain pins and an opening is provided between said track portions through which said tenter member projects.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 139,038 Bailey May 20, 1873 670,598 Rusden Mar. 26, 1901 2,729,874 McCreary Jan. 10, 1956 2,894,334 Thygeson July 14, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 335,166 Germany Mar. 29, 1929 615 Great Britain of 1881 1,557 Great Britain of 1900 

